Not Battery....but
 

Went to the local parts store to get my battery checked two days ago after some questionable starts in the recent cold weather. Battery checked out great. Had corrosion on the clamps, but some baking soda on them overnight (didn't know about adding water, do now), car started up yesterday fine, but then wouldn't start again. Poured some canada dry on the cables, ate up everything, cables are CLEAN, car still won't start.

When I put my key in I get full electrical function: glow plug indicator, all the other indicators, radio, etc. Battery is charged, or at least not dead. Then when I crank--nothing. Just a single click. Try to repeat the process and nothing lights up, no indicators, nada.

Is this an alternator issue? Or did I tweak my battery somehow?

Any advice appreciated. I'm pretty sure it will jump, as that's how I got it home yesterday, but I haven't tried yet today (other cars are in the way).

How is the brightness of the dome or head lights?

Good and bright, as of the drive home yesterday after jumping it. I noted that the dome lights were normal after I shut the car off last night as well.

Does the dome light go off when you try to turn the starter over? Leave the door open and see if it goes out when you crank, then back on when you stop?

If so, remedy is to disconnect the clamps and clean the mating metal surfaces on the clamps & posts -- bright and shiny metal contacting bright and shiny metal is required -- then reconnect and give the battery a good overnight charge. If it still does that, then it's either a bad connection at the other ends of the battery cables, or the battery is toast.

Sounds like the Starter or the solenoid is going bad if your battery has juice and you're just getting a click.
You could try tapping the starter with a hammer next time it happens, and then see if it cranks. There is a small 3-terminal block on the passenger side fender in front of the battery. If you short the small gauge wire with one of the large ones, it will fire the starter without having to use the key switch- handy for troubleshooting.

Battery
 

1984 300d Turbo 146k
Buy A Battery Post Wire Post Clean Autozone Pull The Tool Apart Its A Post Cleaner A Few Turns Its Clean, And The Other Part Is A
Inside Cable End Cleaner And Reinstall A New 49 Series Battery $90.00 Autozone

Patbob,

Will some sandpaper work to clean them off? I don't have the right tool. I will try it--I fear my baking soda bath didn't help. But then I doused the cables in canada dry.....so I don't know if metal blockage is the problem. But this is definitely the easiest thing to try.

I don't have any way of charging the battery, guess I'm SOL on that.

I highly doubt the battery is toast as it was just checked on the machine two days ago--registered "good." It hasn't been super cold the last two days, either. Just regular old cold :)

It's already dark so I'll try and get this metal all sanded down tomorrow when the sun is bright. Assuming the battery is good, should the car start up once the cables/terminals are cleaned up? Nothing should be draining the battery and it has juice.

Your worst case scenario could be a dead starter. That's what happened to mine when it died. Has the starter ever not engaged fully when you turn the key to start the car?

Hey Cavs
 

Last time I jumped it, it paused for a split second before turning over. I attributed that to having the cables attached to a solo jump start battery thing (Black and Decker, it was my friend's). Or to the crud that might be interfering with the cables/terminals.

So starters give almost no warning when they die? I kind of thought there might be more of a warning than _that_, but hell, I don't know. Wait, if the starter is dead, won't jumping the car not help? In other words, if I can jump the car, the starter isn't dead, right?

Still planning to clean the terminals tomorrow AM, if I can get that damn negative cable loose....the nut is totally fubared on there and it might be a problem....SERIOUS corrosion to that metal.

What say you wise men about the starter???

Follow post #6 and get the proper tool for cleaning the posts and the cable clamps. If this doesn't solve the problem, the battery is NG. I realize that the McParts told you that it was good..........but, consider the caliber of the help.

Clean posts and clamps are ESSENTIAL. Starters take a lot of amps. A few amps sometimes can get through a bad connection, but not enough to drive the starter... Steve

You could also buy a hydrometer, that will allow you to test the acid in each cell of the battery. Sometimes batteries I have had on my truck test good on the little machine, and just do not cut it when loaded for a cold start.
I would clean all of the cables as suggested, did you get any of your baking soda bath inside the battery? Also disconnect the GP relay, and see if it will turn over. The GP's could be draining a marginal battery enough to make it not work. It will not start without the GP, but may turn over.

I've had this so long, forget the price.
Emory cloth should work in a pinch, tho.

the machine at autozone will only tell you if its good.. or bad

you need to borrow a multimeter and verify the battery voltage when the car is running and when its off..